Iran criticises Britain over sanctions against individuals

Iranian deputy foreign minister has condemned Britain over extending the period of sanctions on Iranian individuals as "politically-motivated and biased", state media reported Wednesday.

"The sanctions are unilateral, biased, politically-motivated and totally unacceptable," Xinhua quoted deputy Foreign Minister for European and American Affairs Majid Takht-e-Ravanchi as saying as British treasury renewed sanctions against 15 current and former Iranian officials under the pretext of violating human rights.

Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Hassan Firouzabadi and former intelligence minister Heidar Moslehi are among those whose names appear on the list.

So far Britain has put a total number of 86 Iranians on its sanctions list.

The sanctions include blocking financial assets of the 15 individuals in Britain and prohibiting the British financial institutes from all types of transactions with them.